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submitted 10 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

In the remote desert where China detonated its first atom bomb nearly 60 years ago, a drilling rig recently bored a deep vertical shaft that is estimated to plunge down at least a third of a mile. It is the strongest evidence yet that Beijing is weighing whether to test a new generation of nuclear arms that could increase the lethality of its rapidly expanding missile force.

For years, U.S. government reports and independent experts have expressed vague concerns about the old base, Lop Nur. The reports point to possible preparations for year-round operations and a “lack of transparency.”

Now, however, waves of satellite images reveal that the military base has newly drilled boreholes — ideal for bottling up firestorms of deadly radiation from large nuclear blasts — as well as hundreds of other upgrades and expansions.

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[-] Nobody@lemmy.world 10 points 10 months ago

Fantastic. I didn’t have China testing stronger nukes on my apocalypse bingo card yet.

[-] urandom@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

2077 is coming in fast

[-] Cap@kbin.social 9 points 10 months ago

Not so quiet and not so secretive if it's being reported on is it?

[-] galloog1@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

It's very difficult to hide said programs on their whole these days but it is relatively easy to obscure the details and intent behind them.

[-] flooppoolf@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

Why does NYT automatically paywall if I visit through the Memmy app?

[-] yeather@lemmy.ca 9 points 10 months ago

Because they want you to pay.

[-] bc3114@lemmy.ml 4 points 10 months ago

Quietly

This sounds so dump. How else are they going to rebuild, invite everyone over to watch and party?

[-] foggy@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago
this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2023
138 points (95.4% liked)

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